We, as a consultant team, always start the discussion with our customer, based on the timelines well-defined in our project plan document. The estimate timeline for each milestone (both process/technology-oriented) has been evaluated by our internal team based on our process standards and our previous project experiences.
One fine day, we received a call from Oman partner, narrating about a strange customer requirement, and asking us whether our team will be able to take up this work. It was an open challenge to our team, where the customer was demanding for an ISMS implementation works, which we usually estimate for 6-8 months’ time for such a client, to be completed within one and a half months and they want to get an ISO certification immediately after that.
Without thinking twice, our team lead agreed to the deal upon 3 major conditions, which are:
- We should be able to include as many team members in this project as decided by the team lead, as and when required.
- All technical requirements (automated tools and IT Admin) must be facilitated by the customer as per the suggestion of our Infosec consultant.
- There must be a dedicated facilitator at a manager level at the customer location for co-ordination and follow-ups.
The project kick started in May 2024, three of our team members dedicatedly worked for this customer. While entering into the details, we understand that the customer is specific about their requirements, and they are not ready to finish this project with the bare minimal standard requirements.
Our team did not step back an inch as we value our commitment more than any other parameters in the business. We negotiated with the customer at each stage of the project, through which actually the customer was getting more educated about the standard requirements and the bonding between these 2 companies was getting better day-by-day.
Somedays we worked around 16 hours a day, and nobody complained about it, as everyone has put themselves in a race and all our team member made it their personal goal that the customer must get ISO Certification at the end of this work.
After all our combined efforts, on 21st July, the customer completed their ISO Certification audit, and they announced the ISO 27001: 2022 Certification for the company.
Even though initially the customer said the timeline for our work as 1.5 months, due to the workaholic nature of the customer side manager, they pushed us to finish the work within 1 month and then he used the remaining half month to revise his plan and do the last-minute corrections. However, our team never mind working so hard, as this project was our prestigious work to evaluate our potential in depth.
